Ramp shoe



Aug. l2 1924.

1,504,969 c. A. PARKER RAMP SHOE Filed June 23. 1923l 'Char/63H Parke/"Patented Aug. 12, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. PARKER, 0F HAUGAN, MONTANA.

RAMP SHOE.

Application filed June 23, 1923.

. brakes on steam railroads and railroads employing electric propulsion.

In the preferred installation of the train stop mechanism I employ aramp shoe at `each side .of the train or car, and inasmuch as theseshoes are of similar construction I have illustrated and described asingle shoe in its relation to the train stop mechanism with which it isalso effective. v

The prima-ry object of the invention is the provision of a ramp Shoe.`carried Iby the railroad locomotive or other vehicle,'which, in theequipment for steam railroads, `is connected with the train stopmechanism usually. carried in the cab of the locomotive, and constructedin such .manner as tofhold the train stop mechanism in running Iposi.-.tion. By co-actiony with a ramp rail preferably located outside of thetrack rail and in the path 0f movement of the ramp shoe, the latter ismoved to permit operation of the train stop mechanism as will bedescribed;

By the utilization of my invention I secure a ramp shoe or cont-actdevice which will insure proper contact with the ramp rail whether thetrain is running forward or running backward. Means are also providedwhereby snow or ice are removed from the ramp rail by the movement ofthe ramp shoe to prevent clogging. The ramp shoe is of simplecon-struction, strong and relin able, and inexpensive in cost ofproduction.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example ofthe physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combinedand arranged in accordance with the best mode I have thus far devisedfor the practical application of the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is a view showing the train stop mechanism carried in thelocomotive cab, the ramp shoe carried by the locomotive truck and inoperative connection with said Serial No. 647,277.

mechanism, and the ramp rail at the trackside with which the ramp shoeco-acts.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View through the flexible,resilient and elastic ramp shoe. 1 y

Figure 3 is a `perspective view of the ramp shoe.

Figure e yis a sectional detail view of one of lthe guide yokes orstirrups 4carried by `the locomotive truck for `guiding the moveen mentof the flexible shoe.

In order that the utility of the ramp shoe mayI readily be understood Ihave shown in Fig. 1 a bell crank lever 1 pivoted at 2; and designed,when released by theaction of the ramp device, to be-swung on its pivot.The action of the spring also releases an air valve i and the air brakesI,are automatically applied by reduction of the vtrain line pressurethrough pipe 5. Details of construction of the .train stop mechanism maybe found in my cof-pending application for patent, fber. No. 647,276,filed June 23, 1923.

The train stop mechanism is located in the locomotive cab and the lever1 is oonnected with the ramp device' by means 'of a 8 for attaching tothe bell crank lever.

The flexible ramp shoe is composed v of a pair of leaves -9 and 10secured together at their longitudinal centers and to .the truck T lbymeans of a and nuts 12.

The leaves are of metal possessing sufficient elasticity and resiliencyto pull on the cable 6 and hold the bell crank lever in normal runningposition and to permit flexing of the shoe at the front and rear as itpasses ove-r the ramp rail 13 at the trackside At its ends the ramp shoeis equipped with contact members 14 and 15 which are of boX- likeconstruction open at the front and rear, and each member is providedwith an upper attaching flange 16. The flange is interposed between thefree ends of the spring leaf 9 and the spring leaf 10, and by means of arivet 17 is secured to the leaf 10 as shown. The two leaves of theresilient and elastic ramp shoe are thus spaced apart at their ends toinsure the required rigidity in the shoe and yet provide for thenecessary flexing of the shoe as the latter passes over a ramp rail.

The rear contact member 14 has a perfopair of U-shapedbolts 11 rated ear18 to which the cable 6 is attached and said cable extends upwardly tothe train stop mechanism in the housing as shown.

Near the endsI of the flexible shoe are provided guide yokes or stirrups19 each of which has a stud bolt 20 and by means of which the guidestirrup is rigidly attached to the truck T. The flexible shoe is thuspermitted to ride up and down or move vertically in the stirrup and isguided therein to prevent lateral movement. The lower cross bar of theyoke or stirrup is fashioned with va knife edge 22 to support the rampshoe in normal position, and this triangular shaped bar is effective inshedding snow or ice that might otherwise accumulate in the yokes whenthe shoe is raised. As such an accumulation would result in holding theshoe at a higher elevation than its predetermined location, thesedevices perform an important function in the operation of the device.

rIhe open end box-like contact members 14 and 15 ride over the ramp railas indicated in Fig. 1, the forward memberl sliding flatly over thedeclining end of the arched ramp rail and the rear member riding on anedge as indicated. Any ice or snow that may accumulate on the ramp railis thus scraped therefrom and passing through the contact membersl isdisposed of without danger of clogging them. The use of the twomembers14 and 15 insures a double contact on the ramp rail and they are adaptedfor use when the train is moving backward or forward.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the ramp shoe is shown with an arched or curvedformation adapting it for use with the arched rail 13, and as the shoerides along the -ramp rail the shoe is partially straightened asindicated in Fig. 1.` The straighteningvor elevating of the rear end ofthe shoe slackens the cable 6 to permit actuation of the train stopmechamsm.

It will be apparent that the shoes may with facility be attached to thetruck T, and are held thereto without danger of loss, and in positionfor reliable operation in the performance of their required functions.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desiret0 se cure by Letters Patent is-- 1. A flexible, resilient ramp shoecomprising a pair of leaves joined at their longitudinal centers, meansfor spacing the free ends of the upper leaf from the lower leaf, andcontact members carried at the ends of said shoe.

2. A flexible, resilient ramp shoe comprising a pair of leaves joined attheir longitudinal centers, means for spacinfr the free ends of theupper leaf from the ower leaf, and box-like contact members having openfront and rear ends secured at the ends of said shoe.

3. A flexible resilient ramp shoe comprising a. pair of leaves joined attheir longitudinal centers, box like contact members each. having anupper flange attached to the lower leaf and interposed between the freeends of the upper leaf and the lower leaf.

`4. In a flexible resilient ramp shoe the combination with a pair ofleaves rigidly joined together at one point and adapted for attachmentto a support, a contact member having front and rear open ends and anattaching flange on said member located between the free ends of saidleaves and at;- tached to one of said leaves.

5. The combination with a support of a flexible resilient ramp shoehaving one portion rigidly anchored to said support, a verticallydisposed guide yoke on said support, and said yoke having a supportingcross bar for said shoe formed with an upper angular edge.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES A. PARKER.

